title: Time requirements in performing body CT studies.
abstract: In computed tomography (CT), whole body examinations take 1.5 times as long as head studies. In 73 patients (11 thoracic studies, 25 abdominal examinations, 31 CT scans of abdomen and pelvis, and 6 examinations of pelvis alone), the average time for a CT study was 136 min. The active part of the procedure lasted 60 min. Seventy-six minutes were idle time. The physician's involvement in body CT was estimated to be 53 min for an average study, when scans were taken before and after administration of contrast material. There are time differences in body CT of various anatomic regions (thorax, 40 min; abdomen, 66 min; pelvic, 52 min). The complexity of body CT, the equipment of a CT department, and the approach to diagnosis are responsible for time requirements and physician's involvement in whole body CT.
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D010388:Pelvis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012886:Skull / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014915:Whole-Body Counting / Q000379:methods*